Portland's hipster eatery Le Pigeon puts out a cookbook (with recipe)

Radicchio Salad with Pear, Hazelnut and Blue Cheese Dressing is from the new cookbook, Le Pigeon, written by the Portland restaurant’s chef, Gabriel Rucker.

Photograph by: Ten Speed Press
, Random House Canada

EDMONTON - People who have been to Portland, Ore., know it’s one of the best foodie cities on the continent. And one of the best restaurants in that hipster heaven is Le Pigeon.

Now, the renowned eatery has come out with its first cookbook, penned by chef Gabriel Rucker and writer Meredith Erickson (with the help of pastry chef Lauren Fortgang and sommelier Andrew Fortgang). It’s an understated little thing, with a simple cloth cover and a Wild West sort of typeface that belies the complexity of the recipes within.

This cookbook is not for babies. The first recipe that flipped to the surface when I parted the covers was the Rabbit and Eel Terrine. But that looked easy compared to the Pigeon Crudo with Figs and Bourbon. Perhaps the hardest part of that latter recipe, though, is getting the pigeon.

For the less ambitious among us, I did find a recipe in Le Pigeon that looks delicious, but is simple, and will still make it possible for you to say, “Oh, yes, I got this from the new Le Pigeon cookbook.” And that’s always a good thing. The cookbook is also an entertaining read, and gives you a sense of what it’s like to start a restaurant from scraps and offal, and turn it into something fine and true, still using scraps, offal … and pigeon.

Radicchio, Pear and Hazelnut Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing

Serves 4.

1 head radicchio, cored and cut into thick strips

12 cup (125 mL/75 g) coarsely chopped toasted hazelnuts

1 pear, peeled, cored, and cut into strips 18 inch (3 mm) thick

1 tablespoon (15 mL) grappa

a squeeze of fresh lemon juice

kosher salt

12 cup (125 mL) Blue Cheese Dressing (recipe below)

In a large bowl, combine the radicchio, hazelnuts, pear and grappa. Add the lemon juice and season with salt. Add the dressing, toss well to combine, and serve.

In a medium bowl, combine the vinegar and shallots and let stand for 20 minutes. Stir in the blue cheese and sour cream until combined but still slightly lumpy. Stir in the buttermilk and tarragon. Season with salt and pepper to taste, stir well, and cover with plastic wrap. Chill for at least 1 hour before using. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. (It’s actually best on the second day, when all of the flavors have had a chance to meld.)

NOTE: This recipe is reprinted with the permission of Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, LLC, a Penguin Random House Company.

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